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Sandoval Co. clerk responds to voting issues

Published On: Nov 08 2012 07:23:05 PM MST

BERNALILLO, N.M. -

The Sandoval County clerk says nothing could have been done to shorten long lines on Election Day.

"I'm sorry you had to stand in line, but there is nothing I could do about it because if that was the situation, that was the situation," County Clerk Sally Padilla said. "I could do no more about that."

Even after 40 years as clerk, Padilla said she couldn't have anticipated the scene at Puesta Del Sol Elementary School on Election Day.

Dozens of Rio Rancho precincts were combined into just five voting centers for the first time. Many voters wondered why there weren't more sites.

"I understand that, yes, but we couldn't get any more sites because we didn't have the equipment to pay any more sites," Padilla said.

Padilla said the Board of Elections was responsible for consolidating the precincts into election centers, but she received most of the blame.

Since Padilla is retiring this year, she hopes the next county clerk learns from the election.

"I was a tryout on this one," Padilla said. "Let's hope she can do better on the other one."

Despite the hours-long waits and the backlash, Padilla said her staff and her did their jobs well.

"I have no regrets, and I don't feel sorry for myself now in this because I know that we did what we did because we did it right," Padilla said.

Padilla said funding played a big role in having enough equipment to set up more voting centers, but the county currently doesn't have that money. She also apologized to voters for not being available to the public following the election because she broke her foot at a voting site, which slowed her down.

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